Romancing Dr. Bailey

Kiss the Day Goodbye

Ben and Miranda hung around Ben's apartment for a while watching a couple of episodes of a show that they'd recently started together. She loved being wrapped up in his arms. She loved feeling his chest rise and fall and listening to his heart beat beneath his chest. During the show, Ben would look at her and when she turned to look at him, he turned away. Their silent game tickled her and made her laugh out loud. She was... happy. While a commercial played, Miranda mentioned that she should probably go by her house. Eventually, she would have to leave the blissful comfort of Ben's apartment. Ben licked his lips when she said that. They went by Miranda's house to check on things. She took a deep breath before stepping over the threshold. She sat down on her sofa. She moved into her kitchen; then, up toward the staircase.

Ben watched from the front door. She sauntered up the stairs and walked in and out of the rooms up the stairs. In Tuck's room, she saw that his PlayStation was gone. Her ex-husband and son must have picked it up at some point. She still felt safe. Safe. Safe enough to be back in her home. She felt safe allowing her son and herself to fall back into their normal routine. It felt the same. It still felt like home. Miranda walked back downstairs. "I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier, at your sister's house, Ben Warren. But I had a good reason to. And I shouldn't have yelled, but you should have told me. You should have asked me. I don't like being ambushed. Please... don't do that again, okay?"

Ben smiled a lazy smile. "Okay. I apologize. I was just worried about you. I mean, you seemed fine, but I've been 'fine' before so I know how that goes. I won't do that again. I promise." Miranda's heart fluttered. She walked into his open arms and he held her, pulling her as close to him as he could. She could smell his body wash mixed with his cologne and it was turning her on. She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek, his beard scratched her gently. She grabbed his neck and pulled him into a kiss. "I love you," he whispered into her hair.

"Say it again," she asked softly.

He kissed her lips again. When her body caved a little, he deepened it. "Miranda Bailey, I love you." He looked directly into her eyes and she had no choice but to blush.

"Ben Warren, I feel the exact same way about you." He smiled and nodded. He threw his hands up in victory. "You make me happy." Her mind flashed back to Eli. He'd said those same words to her just before they'd broken up. She'd thought the same thing about him as well, but what she had with Ben, however undeveloped was more than what she'd had with her ex. Everything mattered more, she cared more and she felt like Ben loved her more.

"You make me happy, too, sweetheart." Ben kissed her on the head and squeezed her.

They went to Rogelio's for lunch. Walking in, Ben was greeted by several patrons and employees. They waved and smiled at Miranda as well. "I guess you're royalty around here, hunh?" They sat down in the same booth that they'd sat in weeks ago when they'd gone to lunch with Tuck and Jazmin.

"A little bit. I first came here with Steve years ago. There's his picture on the wall. That's Deanna with him in the picture underneath." Miranda looked up and saw two faces that she did recognize. Even with them not being covered by masks or having rushed by them so many times, she knew of Deanna and of Steve. They looked like they had a great love. "He was a staple here. Every Thursday and Sunday, he'd be sitting in this booth. Sometimes he'd sit in another booth, but this booth was his." They ordered food and drinks when the waitress came around. She decided on a Caesar salad and he got a cheese steak. "And then on Sunday mornings, I started to come here with him. People started to recognize me all over town. Then I started my own Rogelio's day, Wednesdays. After the shooting, I stopped coming for a bit. It didn't feel right. But one day I bought Jaz here and, of course, she loved it, so this is our sort of hangout." Miranda was speechless. "It felt like I was passing on the tradition of Rogelio's."